


Dimension Switch Shenanigans

by Mickeyd58



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alfred and Cass are the only MVPs of the Batfam regardless of the dimension, Batfam sucks, Dimension Travel, Dimension switch, Or the other dimension where the Batfam is amazing, Swearing, Tim Is A Badass, Tim works through emotional bullshit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:34:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28646115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mickeyd58/pseuds/Mickeyd58
Summary: Both Dimensions are nearly identical save for one major difference- Tim.In Dimension 1Tim stood his ground against his family after he had saved Bruce from being lost in the past, Dick had taken Robin from him, and both Damian and Jason had tried to kill him. He demanded respect and stopped letting the Bats treat him as an afterthought, he made himself more prominent in the family.However, Tim in Dimension 2 never stood his ground with his family, he continues to allow his family to treat him as an afterthought. Tim’s works alone while he’s a vigilante and has become estranged from his family- only communicating about the mission.
Comments: 27
Kudos: 114





	1. Chapter 1

It’s 4am when a glowing blue, white light appears in Tim’s bedroom, too deep sleeping to register the shift in the air. As Tim sleeps the light slowly engulfs his form until there’s a bright flash, and suddenly Tim is still deep asleep in a different bed that belongs to a different Tim in a different dimension unbeknownst to him.

Both Dimensions are nearly identical save for one major difference- Tim.

In Dimension 1 Tim stood his ground against his family after he had saved Bruce from being lost in the past, Dick had taken Robin from him, and both Damian and Jason had tried to kill him. He demanded respect and stopped letting the Bats treat him as an afterthought, he made himself more prominent in the family.

However, Tim in Dimension 2 never stood his ground with his family, he continues to allow his family to treat him as an afterthought. Tim’s works alone while he’s a vigilante and has become estranged from his family- only communicating about the mission.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is set in Dimension 2 (Where Tim never stood up for himself).  
> With the Tim from Dimension 1 (where he did stand up for himself).

Tim wakes up the next day slowly, and lazily, stretching out his body. It’s not often he wakes up feeling well rested before Alfred comes in to wake him. He rolls over blindly grabbing for his phone when he finally cracks his eyes open to see it’s 9am and he’s not in the manor.

He freezes and replays the night before in his head. He had, had the night off from patrol and was at home in the manor, watching movies with Dick, and when everyone got home from patrol, he had snacked with them before going to bed. His bed, at the manor.

Looking around, taking in his surroundings, Tim realizes that he’s in his nest. Well, that solves some of the anxiety, at least I haven’t been kidnapped anywhere. But how the hell did I end up here?

 _Fuck_ , what if I did patrol last night and sustained head damage and ended up here? Tim takes an internal stock of his body, no major injuries, and his head feels fine. Maybe it was a magic user? Whatever it may be, he has to get to the cave, maybe the others can feel in his missing memory.

Unlocking his phone Tim calls the manor, Alfred answers on the second ring.

“Wayne residence.”

“Hey Alfred, it’s Tim.”

“Why, Master Tim it is wonderful to hear from you. What can I do for you my boy?” Alfred asks him, his voice positively jovial. Tim’s a little confused, Alfred sounded almost shocked to hear from me, and is acting like it’s been so long. Even if I’m missing my memory, I don’t often go longer then two weeks without staying at the manor.

“Well, I was hoping B was home today. I think something happened, I’m missing part of my memories and I need help to fill in the blanks and do an evaluation of me.”

“Master Bruce has not yet woken and has no prior arrangements for his day. You are welcome at any time Master Timothy; will you be needing a ride in?”

“That’s alright Alfred, I’m physical fit enough to drive, I just wanted to make sure B was home. I’ll be there in about an hour, thanks Alfred!”

“Splendid Master Timothy, do be careful.”

With that Alfred ended the call and Tim still felt a little confused from the interaction, why did he get the feeling Alfred was so surprised he’d come home for help?

Shrugging it off to be an error on his end, Tim blames it on the linger effects of whatever’s going on. He wants to shower, but what if there’s trace amounts of something still on him? Sighing, and resigning to suffering another few hours dirty, Tim heads for the kitchen to make coffee.

* * *

By the time Tim dismounts from his bike in front of the manor, Alfred already has the door open and is beaming at Tim. Feeling a bit shy under the gaze, nonetheless Tim walks up to Alfred smiling.

“Good morning Alfred, how are you doing this morning?”

“Good morning Master Timothy. I am exceptionally better now seeing you here in the manor, thank you. How are you feeling?”

“I know I’m missing some time Alfred, but it can’t have been that long since I’ve been here; or are you just getting soft on me in old age?” Tim jokes to Alfred, smiling big and genuine at his grandfather.

Taken aback by Tim’s joke, Alfred lets slip an uncharacteristic chuckle.

Tim smiles bigger at the man as he walks in, giving Alfred’s wrist a light squeeze.

“Is Bruce up yet?”

“Yes, Master Timothy he is down below, I woke him after your call to allow him to get started before you arrived. Master Dick, Master Damian, and Miss Cassandra are below as well.”

“Thank you.” Tim nods to Alfred as he makes his way to the clock.

“Pardon me Master Timothy, have you had breakfast?”

Tim blushes lightly from guilt, turning to face Alfred. “Uh, you know, I was in such a rush and I kinda forgot.”

“But you have already had a cup of coffee?” Alfred asks accusingly, but it’s laced with amusement.

Tim’s cheeks flush little deeper, “Would you believe me if I said no?”

“Master Timothy I would not believe you went a day without coffee if pigs were flying.”

Tim laughs, “Sorry Alfred. Do you have anything left over from breakfast that I could enjoy?”

“Unfortunately, I do no Master Timothy. I do however have too many chocolate chips in my cupboard. Do you still enjoy pancakes?”

Tim feels his smile turn wicked, “Only on days I drink coffee Alfred.”

Smiling Alfred turns away from Tim towards the kitchen. At least his day is already looking up.

Tim turns to the clock and heads down the stairs, he sees Cass and Damian sparing off to the side, while Dick and Bruce are huddled around the batcomputer. Tim decides to detour to the sparring area to say hi before it gets wrapped in the whirl win the will be a combination of worried dad, worried about the mission Batman, and mother hen Dick.

Tim walks up to the mats, Cass shoots him a happy smile, telling him she’s happy to see him. Damian on the other hand is giving him a dirty look with a sneer. But he ignores it to call out, “Hey guys, who’s winning?”

“Tt, it is none of your concern Drake.”

Wow, he doesn’t get called Drake a lot by Damian anymore, only when the boy is in an I hate everyone mood.

“Crabby today Dami?”

Damian freezes, less than a second, but that’s all Cass needs to pin him down and smile triumphantly. Damian pushes her off of him standing to turn and continue to sneer at Tim.

“What anything is, is none of your concern Drake.” Damian spits out venomously. “And do not refer to me fondly as tough you mean something here.”

Tim rolls his eyes, “And fuck you too brat. I’ve got bigger fish to fry than your relapse of bad behavior.”

Tim turns to walk to the batcomputer.

Damian rages, ready to attack Tim, but his arm is grabbed by Cass, and she give him a look that tells him what a bad idea that would be. Conceding, he moves to the rings to continue his workout.

Cass however moves to observe Tim, he’s different. He’s here to begin with, but he’s also projecting comfort, a small tinge of worry, and trust? She’s not sure if she’s ever seen Tim project many positive emotions in the cave.

“Hey B, hey Dick.” Tim calls out as he approaches the batcomputer, his arms open for Dick’s inevitable hug.

Both men turn to look at him, they’re both dressed in civies, so they’re mask less, and Tim is able read the confusion, discomfort, and he thinks anger (?) rolling off of them.

When Dick makes no move to hug him, Tim lowers his arms to his side. “Geese what’s with everyone today, is there something I’m missing from my memory? Was I a giant dick to everyone and forgot?”

Neither man says anything, still staring Tim down. Tim shifts uncomfortable under their gazes.

Bruce- nope that’s definitely Batman’s voice- growls out, “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Well hello to you too B, and no I’m fine, don’t fret.” Tim spits out as sarcastically rolling his eyes, his good mood from talking to Alfred is quickly disappearing.

Tim sees Bruce’s eye twitch; he’s still waiting for his answer.

After a few moments of staring at each other Tim sighs and concedes, it really isn’t worth the effort today. “The last thing I remember was my night off from patrol last night. Dick and I did a movie marathon here, we ate snacks with everyone, and I feel asleep in my room upstairs. But this morning I woke up in my nest with no idea how I got there.”

Bruce turns to Dick, and they share an unreadable expression. Dick however looks confused, “Tim I didn’t see you last night, you didn’t do post patrol snacks with us, and you definitely haven’t been to the manor in months.”

Tim goes still, his mind reeling. “ _Fuck, fuck, fuck_. Then are these all false memories? I remember yesterday being June 6th, and my phone say’s it’s June 7th. Next month is my supposed to be my twenty second birthday.”

Tim silently continues his freak inside his head, eyes darting side to side as he’s thinking almost too fast for himself to keep up.

Bruce looks to Cass, and she nods. “Truth.”

Dick steps up from the computer, his hand reaching out to Tim as if he were reaching for a cornered animal, but his voice is stern, all business. “Tim, when was the last time you slept?”

Tim didn’t hear him, too lost in his own head trying to discern false from real memories, but they all feel real. None of them have identifiers to help him sift. This is going to such a pain in the ass to fix.

Next moment Tim nearly jumps out of his own skin when Dick touches his arm since he hadn’t noticed his brother’s movement.

Tim reflexively steps forward to Dick, expecting, yet again, for Dick to wrap him up in a hug. But after a few seconds have passed and Dick hasn’t yet not hugged him, Tim looks up at Dick, confused. Tim notices that Dick’s whole body is stiff, and his face screams with just how uncomfortable he is.

“Don’t tell me you don’t hug in real life?”

“I mean… I do, sometimes hug… I just- “

“Cold feet today?” Tim tries to joke, but it does nothing to relax Dick, if anything Dick becomes more uncomfortable.

“No, it’s just you’ve never really let me hug you before, and I don’t think you’ve let me since you were Robin…” Dick admits awkwardly, moving his hand from Tim’s arm to rub the back of his neck.

Tim steps back, his mouth opening and closing; but he’s a loss for words as Dick steps back away from him. Tim turns to B, looking for answers, and he’s met with an unforgiving glare that Tim reads as _How long have you been messing up and a liability_? And that just hits a nerve from before Tim had stood up for himself.

Old anger races through him as he raises his voice.

“Don’t fucking look at me like that B, do you honestly believe I would have knowingly been compromised for years? Fuck maybe my false memories are better than real life, at least there you stopped acting like the mission mattered more than me.” Tim then turns his anger on Dick, “And if you have a stick so far up your ass that you can’t even hug your own brother when his whole world is obviously falling apart around him, you turned out to be just as much of an emotionally constipated ass as Bruce.”

Dick’s mouth drops in shock, quickly turning into offense, and even more quickly turning into rage. He steps forward to get in Tim’s face when suddenly he’s thrown back onto his back landing on his butt. Anger spilling out of him he looks up and to see Cass standing where he was, glaring at him to dare him to open his mouth. When he makes to move speak, she turns her glare on to Bruce, waiting for him to answer. He nods to Cass, giving her the go ahead.

When she turns to Tim, she’s giving him a compassionate look that tells him she understands, she knows. Letting out a breath of relief, Tim allows his shoulders to relax. Cass steps back so all three men can see her as she speaks. “Not our Tim. Wrong place.”

Both Bruce and Dick tense, readying for action. If it’s not their Tim, what is this thing in front of them, a clone?

But Tim starts laughing in relief and he moves forward to hug Cass, she opens her arms and strokes his hair.

“Cass, I wonder if I’ll ever meet a version of you that isn’t a Goddess walking amongst us mere mortals.”

She pulls back from the hug to give him a humored, yet flattered look. “No.” And continues hugging him.

Damian steps out from the shadows he was hiding in, his katana in hand, as he queries, “And is there a reason we’re not disposing of this thing if it is not the real Drake. It obviously still presents a danger if it knows who we are, how to get into the cave, and many of our other secrets?”

Cass releases Tim from the hug but takes hold of one of his hands when she turns to glare at Damian, telling him in no uncertain words should he take another step forward, he’ll be sorry.

Tim turns to give Damian a disgusted dirty look, realizing why everyone in his ‘family’ is behaving this way.

“You’re right brat I’m not your Drake. I’m Tim and this is not my dimension.”

Dick openly gasps, Bruce shows no indication of shock, while Damian merely lowers his blade without sheathing it.

Tim groans and runs his fingers through his hair as he keeps thinking out loud. “I’m also going to venture a guess that your Tim never told you all how shitty you are in general and with how you treat him?” He turns to Cass, clarifying, “Except for you Cass I’m pretty sure. But I’m going to continue guess that he doesn’t come here, he doesn’t talk to you, he probably doesn’t work with you all the much, and you guys know jack shit about him?”

“Language Master Timothy.” Alfred scolds as he walks forward with a try of breakfast for Tim, “However your assumptions, though undetailed, seem to sum up most of your familial relationships.”

Tim nods, “Thank you Alfred for both breakfast and the confirmation.”

He steps toward Alfred, “And I hope that you can forgive me on two counts.” Tim tells him as he wraps Alfred in a hug. “Both for forgetting to amend that I am sure your Tim would consider you an exception along with Cass, and for my improper behavior hugging you.”

Alfred smiles and returns Tim’s hug with a quick, light squeeze before clearing his throat and stepping away.

Tim exchanges a smile with Cass, but as he turns towards the rest of his ‘family’ the smile slips and turns into a frown as a realization dawns on him.

“Fuck, your Tim is going to have it so much better than me.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dimension 1 Tim 2

Tim startles awake at the sudden noise next to him, he rolls to the opposite side of his bed, and crouches down into a defensive stance, trying to quickly take in his surroundings before the attack. He freezes when he realizes he’s in the manor, he’s only in his boxers, and that he was reacting to Alfred opening the blinds of the window next to the bed.

Tim watches Alfred turn in surprise at Tim’s sudden and aggressive movements. Tim feels his face flush with embarrassment, as his mind moves at an unreasonable speed trying to think too many things at once. But one thought alarmingly stands out- the scars of previously unknown injuries are exposed. Tim lurches forward for the sheet on the bed, quickly wrapping himself with it.

But Tim realizes that was the wrong move as Alfred’s eyes narrow, moving along him, looking for an injury hidden beneath the sheet.

Tim clears his throat, “uh, hi, I mean- uh good morning Alfred.”

Alfred’s eyes sharpen with unspoken accusations as he moves his gaze to meet Tim’s, and Tim shifts uncomfortably under such scrutiny from the man.

“Good morning Master Timothy,” but Alfred doesn’t ask Tim, he leaves the questions lingering in the air between them. And well, if Alfred isn’t going to outright ask him, Tim certainly isn’t going to give up any extra information.

After a few moments in their silent stare off, Alfred sighs and moves from the bed to the door, “breakfast is ready when you are Master Timothy.”

Tim opens his mouth to tell him thanks but no fucking way, but Alfred swiftly closes the door, and Tim’s opportunity to reject the offer.

 _Damn that man and his magical skills_ , Tim thinks to himself. He lets himself sink back into the bed, and he lets his mind explore his thoughts. How the hell did he get to the manor? He didn’t even remember being in the cave this week.

Tim does a quick physical inventory; but he can’t feel any injury serious enough to force him to seek out help from the Bats let alone stay the night.

He sighs to himself, he’s going to have to try to get out of here before the rest make it downstairs so he can watch the cam footage from his suit last night.

With his new goal of getting out of there quick, Tim gets redresses at a speed even Bart would be jealous of. He does a quick glance at the room to make sure he hasn’t left anything incriminating or revealing in the room.

His heart stops when his eyes land on the bottle of prescription pills for his missing spleen sitting on his work desk next to his personal, secret laptop. Tim looks around the room more, panicking as he realizes more of his things are here than they should be.

Tim grabs a duffle bag from the closet and shoves in his laptop and stuffing as many of his things into the bag as he can to haul back to the perch in one go. He’ll have to figure out another time to sneak in when everyone is gone or occupied so he can retrieve the rest. But that’s future Tim’s problem, present Tim needs to get a move on.

He grabs his bags and moves quickly, and quietly down the hall to the kitchen, listening for signs of the others. But as he rounds the corner to the stairs, Tim jumps, flinching away from the arm suddenly draped across his shoulders.

The arm tightens around him and pulls Tim back to a center gravity before he fell over, and Tim looks over to see Dick smiling at him, “sorry Timmy, I didn’t realize you didn’t hear me coming! But I got you good, I haven’t seen you jump like that in ages!”

Tim glares at him and shakes the arm off his shoulder before walking forward, not bothering to answer Dick.

“Going somewhere Timmy?” Dick asks nudging the bag in Tim’s hands. Tim feels his shoulders tense and after a moment he forces himself into a more relaxed posture.

“Just some stuff I need at the perch, no big deal,” Tim tells him nonchalantly.

Dick doesn’t answer him, and Tim doesn’t care, it’s really none of his business.

When they enter the kitchen Tim sits at the furthest end of the table and sets his bags between him and the wall. From the corner of his eye he watches Dick watching him as Dick sits next to him at the table. He doesn’t get much time to be annoyed with Dick’s proximity before Alfred’s setting plates of breakfast in front of them.

“Thanks Alfred, this looks great!” Dicks says cheerily.

“Thanks Alfred,” Tim mumbles, shifting uncomfortably.

“Of course Masters Dick and Timothy,” Alfred turns back to the kitchen, and works to start a pot of coffee.

Tim watches Dick dig in to food in front of him, while Tim uses his fork to push the food around his plate, waiting for the appropriate amount of time to pass so he can get the hell out of here.

Tim can feel both Dick and Alfred’s eyes on him, so he forces himself to take a couple of bites. A few moments later Alfred walks back to the table to set down a couple of mugs of coffee for them.

“No thanks Alfred, I don’t think I have time for coffee,” Tim tells him, cringing internally at having to forgo the life-giving substance, “I have a lot to do today.” Tim starts to rise from his seat, freezing when he sees both Dick and Alfred exchanging uneasy looks.

Dick turns back to Tim first, and asks with a hesitant, inquisitive voice, “yeah? Maybe it’s something I can help you with?”

Dick’s words get Tim moving again as he grabs his bag trying to keep his posture relaxed and his voice nonchalant, “uh, thanks but I think I’ve got it handled,” he moves for the door, “I’ll see you guys next time.”

He’s stopped by a hand on his shoulder before he’s fully out of the room. He turns to see Dick standing directly behind him, Alfred out of sight, “you sure I can’t do anything to help? You seem a bit on edge little brother,” and Tim tries not to flinch at Dick’s endearment but based on the look that crosses Dick’s face he’s pretty sure he didn’t.

So Tim shrugs Dick’s hand off of his shoulder and continues forward, answering Dick with a flat voice, “yeah I’m sure.”

Tim continues uninterrupted to the cave, slinking down the stairs in the shadows, looking and listening for signs of any other Bats. When he’s certain that no one else is in cave with him, he makes a break for a bike, taking a minute to rid it of any easily found trackers. Tim knows there’s more, so he’ll have to dump this somewhere close and make his way to his nest.

Tim’s getting ready to mount his bike when he sees Bruce, Dick and Alfred making their way down the stairs. Panic floods Tim as he jumps on to the bike and peels out of the cave as fast as he can before the Bats can seal the cave exits. Tim can hear the faint sound of shouts behind him, but he doesn’t stop. He’s not worried about them; they can come retrieve the bike on their own.

* * *

Tim pulls into an alley, a few blocks from his nest, one he knows has no cameras for Oracle to see him. He crouches behind a dumpster to hide his person from any walking by while he pulls out his laptop. It only takes a few minutes and Tim has his system diverting any live footage of any operable camera in a three-mile radius to his server while playing on a loop for anyone else hacking in to watch, he’ll review the live footage later to make sure there’s nothing of importance missed. But he also has to keep the radius large enough to keep the location of his nest secret from the Bats.

He keeps to the shadows and back alleys until he’s in his nest a few minutes later. He takes a deep breath of relief when he’s finally in, but it’s short lived when he’s able to take in the state of his nest.

* * *

Bruce watches as Tim speeds out of the cave while Dick moves for the batcomputer, but Bruce knows that by the time Dick can lock the exits, Tim will be gone. He hears Dick swear, realizing that he was too late to stop Tim and turns to Dick, “get Oracle on the line.”

Dick nods as he retrieves his phone making his call and Bruce turns back to Alfred, “you’re sure something was wrong?”

Alfred gives a curt nod, “his behavior was rather odd, it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen Master Timothy as skittish and flighty as today. Then there’s the matter of the amount of possessions he removed.”

Bruce frowns, trying to piece together Tim’s behavior, what could have on edge and alarmed enough at their notice to take off like that? And why it required him to take his belongings? Tim hadn’t patroled the night before, so the likelihood of exposure with a toxin is the least likely, but perhaps something on an ongoing case popped up.

Bruce gives Dick’s elbow a tap for Dick to move from the seat of the batcomputer while Bruce enters the system pulling up Tim’s open cases, skimming through to see what could explain Tim’s actions. But his thoughts are interrupted by the sound of Barbara’s voice as Dick puts her on speaker.

“There two trackers from the bike that say he’s still in the cave, but one that shows movement. It looks like he’s headed into the city. I’ll see if I can find street views of him once he stops…” her voice drifting off at the end as the sound of her keystrokes fill the line.

“Pull up his known safehouse and the cameras on the street near them, if he’s getting ready to bunker down to work something out, he’ll likely be headed for his nest.”

Barbara hums her acknowledgement, and Bruce is sure she had already been working on that before he asked them, but it’s better to be sure.

Bruce continues skimming Tim’s files, nothing jumping out to him thus far to warrant Tim’s behavior.

Ten minutes later Barbara speaks again, “okay he’s stopped, but the alley he’s in has no view… he’s not far from the nest so I should be able to see him enter it with the cameras I alrea- what the hell,” she cuts herself off, loud keystrokes filling the line again.

“What is it?” both Bruce and Dick ask at the same time.

“The feed, it just switched… probably looped footage… but why…? That bastard!” Barbara suddenly shouts, “he’s blocked me out, I can’t get into the cameras or his system I keep getting rerouted… I’ll call you when I have something I don’t know how long this’ll take me to hack,” she ends the call without waiting for a response.

Dick turns to him bewildered, “why is he going to such great lengths to get away B?”

Bruce hums noncommittally leaning forward to rest his chin on his laced fingers, he’s not sure himself, but, “let’s find out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry for the long break, I wrote this chapter like three different ways before I settled on one I liked.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dimension 2 Tim1

Tim’s fingers fly across the keyboard of this dimensions Tim’s laptop, “fuck he’s making me really work for this. Paranoid asshole,” Tim grumbles (hypocritically) to himself.

His fingers freeze when he feels Bruce and Dick pressing closer behind him. He closes the laptop and spins back around to face them, one brow quirked up in a question, “can I help you?”

Bruce narrows his eyes while Dick tries to keep his face blank but failing to hide to his distrust that Tim can clearly see.

When neither answers, Tim simply crosses his arms over his chest and waits for them to crack. Dick is fidgeting after three minutes, unable to restrain himself; but it takes another five minutes before Bruce finally breaks

Bruce snarls, “is there a reason you stopped?”

Tim smiles mockingly back at him, “you know, there actually is.”

Bruce growls again a few moments later when he realizes Tim isn’t going to clarify, “why did you stop?”

“Oh is that what you wanted to know? I guess the grandstanding was a waste of time that nobody needed,” Tim says lightly, but lets his eyes glare daggers as he looks between Bruce and Dick, waiting a moment to let his words sink in. “Well I stopped because the fucker who encrypted this clearly went to great lengths to ensure this is beyond either of your skill levels, something that would even take the wonderfully gifted Oracle time to crack. So while I’m going to look through this and get what I need from it, neither of you assholes are getting to look at what’s on here or how to break into it.”

Tim lifts his hands, palms down before flicking his fingers in a shooing motion, “so go do something else somewhere else like get me a coffee, go to therapy, give your kids a hug, I don’t care what you do.”

Tim smiles happily at the angry glares he gets from both men; he isn’t affected by it. He remembers what it was like a few years ago for him back home, he knows it isn’t okay to let them have their way, they’re not looking out for his wellbeing. So he’ll wear his indifference and annoyance plainly for them to see he won’t tolerate being taken advantage of.

“Listen Tim,” Dick starts coldly, “it’s great that you seem so… comfortable here, but we don’t know if we can trust you.”

Tim shoots him an unimpressed look, waiting for him to continue.

Dick sighs, moving forward to grip too tightly on his shoulder. Tim glares at the hand before turning his glare back to Dick. Tim allows his anger to seep into his voice, “and you think I trust you? When your Tim so clearly doesn’t? What gave you the illusion that I’m asking for your permission to work?”

Dicks glare hardens, but it’s Bruce who speaks next, “what makes you so certain he doesn’t?”

Tim snorts humorlessly, “if either of you can get into this laptop in under ten minutes I promise to proceed as an open book. If Oracle can get into this with in five minutes, I’ll also be an open book, and eat Jason’s socks after he patrols tonight.”

Bruce gives Dick an expectant look and Dick releases his grip from Tim’s shoulder, and Bruce steps forward to the laptop. Tim smirks mischievously as he turns back to the laptop, resetting the security back from where he had already hacked into. Still smirking he rises from the chair, pulling out his phone to set a timer, “when you’re ready.”

* * *

Tim bites his tongue hard enough to draw blood to stop himself from laughing out loud when Bruce growls at the sound of the timer, having made it past only one of the security walls. Bruce stands, allowing Dick to take his place.

Ten minutes later he has to bite his tongue even harder when Dick doesn’t make any progress on the second security wall.

Dick shoots him a glare that tells him if he could, he’d punch Tim right in the face. Tim smiles anyways, “go on and call Oracle, if she can make it past two in the five minutes, I’ll even give her another five minutes.”

Two minutes later Tim is explaining the situation to Oracle. She agrees cockily, and Tim’s smiles again, he can already taste the victory.

Ten minutes later Tim’s biting his cheeks this time, his tongue too sore, to stop his laughter as Babs fills the line with swears. Tim turns to look at Bruce and Dick, his joy clearly evident, “so, remind me again how he trusts you all?”

Bruce growls in their defeat, and Tim revels in the taste if his victory, “now if you’d be so kind as to shove off, I have work to do. But if you see Alfred you can send him my way.”

Tim watches them walk away and he makes a point to remove the cameras he watched Bruce place over the last thirty minutes, throwing each to the ground and crushing them beneath his boot. He smirks as he watches Bruce’s face twitch in annoyance, and Tim turns back to his work.

* * *

An hour later Tim hears someone approaching, he locks the screen of the laptop, turning to see who was bothering him now, but is happily surprised to see Alfred.

“Master Timothy, I heard you were in need of me, how may I be of service?”

Tim smiles toothily at Alfred, “I was hoping to ask if you wouldn’t mind bringing me my pills, I’m not sure where your Tim keeps them here or if he even does since it doesn’t seem like he spends much time here. Oh, and maybe a pot of coffee.”

Tim watches as a few different emotions flicker across Alfred’s face before it settles on concern, “Master Timothy I will be happy to accommodate you with your pot of coffee, for today,” and Tim can clearly hear the unsaid decree that he will not be allowed to do this tomorrow. “However, in regard to your medication I am at a loss, if you could be so kind as to elaborate I will see if I can retrieve what you need.”

Tim feels his smile fade as he thinks, perhaps this version of himself was lucky enough to keep his spleen. Tim continues cautiously, watching Alfred for any tells to see if he gives away too much, “your Bruce, was he lost to the time stream and your Tim recovered him?”

“Master Bruce was, and Master Timothy did,” Alfred answers, he himself giving away nothing extra.

“And he didn’t… have any injuries?”

Alfred’s eyes turn sharp, moving across Tim’s body assessing for the injury in question before he answers crisply, “he did not return to Gotham for some time after, and gave no indication of injury.”

Tim nods mostly to himself, he doesn’t know if he’ll be revealing this Tim’s secrets if he discloses his own condition, but he can check through the laptop for the medical file he’s sure is there. He can use that to determine if he has to disclose or if he’ll be able to slip back to the nest to get the medication.

“Right, well I’ll see if I can get what I need…” he trails off, hoping that Alfred will let him get away without answering Alfred’s unspoken questions.

After a few moments of enduring Alfred’s sharp eyes, the man finally takes a step back, giving Tim a reprieve, “right. I will return with your drink momentarily.”

Tim thanks him and waits until Alfred is at the stairs before opening the laptop to work quickly. A couple of minutes later Tim’s reading this Tim’s medical file and finding that yes, he did in fact lose his spleen. Tim swears under his breath, he’ll have to give up his secure corner of the cave to get what he needs. He can wait another few hours before he’ll _need_ to get the pills. Until then he can work and ensure that he doesn’t need anything from the cave before he moves to the nest.

Tim closes the laptop once more when he hears Alfred returning, “thank you Alfred. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about my medication I found a way to get it,” Tim tells him, trying to keep his words vague. But Tim can see the questions burning in Alfred’s eyes, but the man simply gives him a brief nod, turning back to the stairs after having set down the coffee.

* * *

Two hours later Tim stretches in his chair, feeling his neck and shoulders pop as his stiff muscles strain. He stands and closes the laptop, picking it up to move across the cave to the stairs. But before he can reach them Bruce and Dick are blocking his path.

“Where do you think you’re going with that?” Dick demands.

Tim rolls his eyes at him, “fuck off _Dick_ , I have things to do and I can’t do them here.”

Tim steps to walk around them, only to have Bruce move back into his path, “You will do it here.”

Tim growls at him, taking a step closer to Bruce, “just because you demand it, doesn’t change the fact that I can’t do it here.”

“Why not?” Dick asks.

Tim grits his teeth and turns to face Dick, “I need something from the nest that your Tim doesn’t keep here.”

Bruce’s eyes lock onto him, and Tim watches Bruce think, “then you can leave the laptop here while you retrieve what you need,” Bruce tells him, already reaching for the laptop.

Tim takes a quick step back, “I know you’re both thick headed and all, but I’m certain that I told you I wouldn’t allow you all access to this.”

Bruce’s face unreadable, “then you can tell Dick how to get into your nest to retrieve whatever it is you need.”

Tim’s eyes move from Bruce to Dick, his own mind racing for to think of what Bruce could be thinking; he knows there’s got to be more to the request than simply getting past this Tim’s security system. They already know he’s in the laptop, and it’s likely he could deactivate most of the security before Dick went in, and he could ignore the alerts he can’t preemptively turn off since he’ll know who’s entering… So then what is Bruce’s goal here? When it finally clicks, and Tim’s smirk returns, his voice gleeful “you don’t know where it is.”

He watches Bruce and Dick freeze, and he can’t stop himself from laughing. He’s trying to catch his breath, but every time he tries to stop, his brain keeps supplying him with more reasons as to just how comically ridiculous this is.

Dick’s angry voice cuts through his laughter, “what makes you think we don’t know where it is?”

Tim laughs even harder at them, and it takes another minute before he can calm himself down to smaller laughs, enough for him to answer, “it’s just so funny that you think I wouldn’t suspect anything… you were just so eager… just the audacity is enough to make me laugh… but then you really thought I’d let you into his space when I wouldn’t even allow you onto his laptop,” and Tim can’t keep going, his chuckles turning back into laughter. He clutches his stomach from the pain of laughing too much.

Dick and Bruce turn to each other, a quick wordless conversation that Tim easily reads, his laughter quickly subsiding as his anger quickly bubbles over, “if you’re thinking of forcibly taking this, you’ll quickly find it wiped when you get it from me,” Tim shifts the laptop for them to easily see the fingerprint scanner before allowing his finger to hover over the scanner, his threat clear.

The three remain in place, both sides glaring at each other before Tim decides to speak again, “but unlike you I am willing to compromise. Is Cass still here?”

Bruce remains still, but Dick answers him with a curt nod.

“Good. Then I will let her know where the nest is, how to get in, and what I need from it, if,” Tim pauses for dramatic effect to enjoy for himself, “Damian can beat me in a sparring match, Dick can beat me in a sparring match, and if Bruce can take me down in under twenty minutes. No gadgets, but choice of weapon is fine. And if I can beat Damian, you, and last longer than twenty minutes with you Bruce, then I get to leave with the laptop for however long I need before returning the manor t.”

Tim can see Dick’s posture relax, and Tim laughs internally at Dick’s over confidence, but he watches Bruce who still hasn’t moved. After a few moments Bruce finally speaks, “twenty-five minutes.”

At that Damian jumps down from the rafters above them, landing next to Bruce. Tim can help the laugh that slips past his lips when Dick flinches.

“Tt, he won’t make it past me,” Damian sneers at Tim.

Tim smirks, “regardless, it sounds like a deal. I expect Alfred will judge to keep you honest on your end of the bargain.”

That gets Bruce’s mask to crack into a frown, but Tim holds strong, waiting for Bruce to agree. He does after a moment signaling for Dick to get both Alfred and Cass.

“So, is there a spare Red Robin uniform here?” Tim pauses before smiling cheekily, “or am I going to be Robin again? I’m sure there’s a case here somewhere with one I can wear,” Tim turns to look squarely at Damian, “or maybe even one of Damian’s spare uniforms.”

Tim’s smile deepens at the growl that Damian lets out at his words, and oh boy, he’s going to enjoy this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize to anyone who knows more about not having a spleen and how often the medication has to be taken/ if missing a few hours makes a difference. I based it off my knowledge living with someone with a transplant and how she should take her medicine at a certain time of day, but occasionally if she's a little late it's not a big deal.
> 
> Anyways, Tim's ready to throw gloves and it's going to be wonderful!


End file.
